info@absolutepanda.comTrip Details
10 Days Cycling around Chengdu City
Date: Mar. 22 & Apr. 19, 2024, 2025
Price: From 2970USD/PAX
Trip Focus: Adventure + Chengdu
Status: Open to Booking
Route: Chengdu-Dujiangyan-Mt. Qingcheng-Jiezi Ancient Town-Huashuiwan-Anren Ancient Town-Huanglongxi Ancient Town-Chengdu
Trip Code: A004
Overview
Highlights:
• Biking to visit some iconic old towns including Jiezi Ancient Town, Anren Ancient Town, and Huanglongxi Ancient Town where we can see the real daily life of locals and the beauty of traditional architectures.
• Visting Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Mt. Qingcheng, a World Cultural Heritage Site since 2000. The functioning irrigation system and sacred Taoism mountain are the best places to understand the ancient Chinese wisdom and philosophy.
• Experience the intangible cultural heritage of Shadow Puppetry which is the earliest movie in China two thousand years ago.
• Enjoy the hot spring in Huashuiwan and remove the fatigue from days of cycling.
• Discover the secret of the gourmet of Chengdu by paying a visit to Sichuan Cuisine Museum, Shuijingfang Museum, and a hot pot restaurant of Chengdu. Enjoy Sichuan food and learn more about its history and culture.
• Explore Chengdu City, from Giant Panda to modern architecture, from the quiet Daci Monastery sitting quietly by the side of iconic Taikoo Li Street to the beautiful Anshun Bridge, one of the landmarks of Chengdu.
Introduction to Trip Destinations:
In Sichuan Cuisine Museum, you will discover the secret of making the famed Doubanjiang (Pixian Chili Bean Paste), a spicy bean paste used in Sichuan cuisine. Then learn more at the museum where displaying various culinary artifacts and books by authors known for their contributions to Sichuan cuisine. Get more Sichuan food facts from the historical developments of the cuisine to the trade and commerce related to this industry. Know more about the technological advancements in pottery, cooking techniques, culinary effects in art and literature, and see maps showing the subtle variations in flavor among the different areas of Sichuan.
With over 2,200 years of history, the ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan is known as the only ancient irrigation project of its kind still at work till now. Built in the 3rd century BC, Dujiangyan Irrigation System is a world-famous irrigation project reflecting the high wisdom of the ancient Chinese people. This project is credited with having turn the vast fertile land in Chengdu Plain into a breadbasket and made it known as a Land of Abundance in China. In 2000, the irrigation system was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List together with the neighboring Taoist Qingcheng Mountain.
Chinese shadow puppetry can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25). In the past, there was an abundance of professional shadow play troupes and numerous small shadow play groups founded by families or individuals. Shadow Puppetry is one of the most popular puppetry arts in China. The character’s silhouette is made of animal skin or paper which is manipulated by puppeteers using rods and played on a translucent cloth screen illuminated from behind. Shadow puppetry has been included on China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. You will have close contact with this treasure handed down from generation to generation.
Located near the scenic city of Dujiangyan, Mount Qingcheng is one of the best places to visit for a better understanding of China’s indigenous religion of Taoism. With a history spanning thousands of years, Mt. Qingcheng accommodates a variety of Taoist monasteries showcasing the elegant architectures of Taoist traditions. Visitors can navigate a series of staircases winding up through peaceful forests in search of practitioners and monasteries dedicated to notable Taoist deities and figures. The peaceful atmosphere and cultural significance of Mount Qingcheng have earned its global recognition as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
With a history spanning back hundreds of years, the iconic martial art style of Taiji or Kung Fu is closely tied to Chinese history and spirituality. During your tour with AbsolutePanda, you will have a unique opportunity to learn Taiji from a Taoist master (Shifu) in Mount Qingcheng. This is as authentic as it gets!
Jiezi Ancient Town is not far from the famous Mt. Qingcheng. It has a history of over 1,000 years and boasts 32 sites of temples and places of historical importance. Jiezi Ancient Town is currently one of the best-preserved southwestern Chinese towns for us to see the late Qing period architectures on both sides of the street. The street in Jiezi Ancient Town hosts all kinds of unique shops from which visitors can purchase delicious local snacks and cute souvenirs. The town is a good place to appreciate traditional local architectures, see the daily life of locals, and sample delicious Sichuan food.
Favored by an influential family that dominated the political stage of Sichuan Province in the first half of the last century, Anren Ancient Town stands out as the museum of architectures with 27 official mansions left by the family members. Here you can also see the biggest collection of museums with a different focus. There is a special one dedicated to the famous Flying Tigers during World War II, a group of American volunteer pilots who came to China and fought against Japanese invaders side by side with local Chinese soldiers.
With a history of over 1,700 years, Huanglongxi Ancient Town is a well-preserved town where you can enjoy its rustic charm, with ancient cobbled streets, temples, and wharves and houses along its curving alleys. The town is about 50km from Chengdu city proper. The majority of the buildings in Huanglongxi can be dated back to the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). The numerous temples, traditional architectures, time-honored streets, and old trees make it a popular place for filmmakers to shoot exterior scenes of period movies in this town. More than 100 movies have been filmed partly or wholly in Huanglongxi.
Holding the distinction of one of the world’s largest panda bases, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu Panda Base) attracts tourists and wildlife enthusiasts worldwide. Conveniently located a short drive away from downtown, this state of the art research facility comfortably houses more pandas than anywhere else at home and abroad. During your visit, you will see pandas ranging from young cubs to lumbering adults as well as the elusive and adorable Red Panda. Additionally, the scenic, garden-like atmosphere of the panda base is especially ideal for urban birding of Red-billed Leiothrix, Ruddy Shelduck, Chinese Blackbird, and Spotted Dove.
Taikoo Li Street is located in the living urban heart of Chengdu and just a few steps away from the famous pedestrian shopping street called Chunxi Road while setting in the context of the Buddhist Daci Monastery. What a surprise for a visit to Chengdu's bustling downtown areas like modern Taikoo Li and with a few minutes' walk to enjoy the ancient tranquil place in Daci Monastery. Daci Monastery used to be the largest Buddhist monastery in Chengdu, it is said that this monastery has a history of 1,600 years and it has been rebuilt many times.
Shuijingfang Museum is located near the Funan River (Jinjiang River) and it was built at the site of the ancient distillery and shops of more than 600 hundred ago, which represents the time-honored history of the Chinese liquor production. About 600 years ago, there was a Shuijing Street next to Shuijingfang Museum which was a place for people to find alcohol like today's Lan Kwai Fong. In the museum, you will get a lot more information about liquor production history and culture. It is the best place to understand the long and developed liquor production history in China.
Indisputably the most famous Sichuanese dish, Sichuan Hotpot is a world-famous culinary experience that is native to Chengdu. Sitting around a boiling pot of spicy broth, you are welcome to cook a variety of different meats and vegetables according to your personal preferences. For those who don’t eat spicy food or meat, there are also non-spicy and vegetarian options available.
How Can We Make This Trip Special?
• As a locally based company, we have unmatched knowledge about the places you are going to visit.
• Guided by professional cycling guide who speaks English with strong logistic support from the office.
• This trip can be customized to better meet your travel style by centering on a different focus or shifting to a different cycling route that you have more interests.
• 20-plus years of working in the travel industry and serving travelers from all over the world enable us to know how to make great trips for travelers of different travel styles.
What Makes AbsolutePanda Excellent?
Map
Biking around Chengdu Trip Map
Itinerary
Outline:
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. (D)
The airport pick-up. City exploration based on your time of arrival. Overnight: Chengdu
Day 2. Chengdu-Sichuan Cuisine Museum-Dujiangyan (71km). (BLD)
Ride to Dujianyan via Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Overnight: Dujiangyan
Day 3. Dujiangyan-Shadow Puppetry Museum-Mt. Qingcheng (22km). (BLD)
Ride to Mt. Qingcheng via Shadow Puppetry Museum. Overnight: Mt. Qingcheng
Day 4. Mt. Qingcheng-Taiji Experience-Jiezi Ancient Town (16km). (BLD)
Ride to Jiezi Ancient Town after hiking in Mt. Qingcheng. Overnight: Jiezi Ancient Town
Day 5. Jiezi Ancient Town-Huashuiwan (55km). (BLD)
Ride to Huashuiwan and enjoy hot spring. Overnight: Huashuiwan
Day 6. Huashuiwan-Anren Ancient Town (50km). (BLD)
Ride to Anren Ancient Town. Overnight: Anren Ancient Town
Day 7. Anren Ancient Town-Huanglongxi Ancient Town (49km). (BLD)
Ride to Huanglongxi Ancient Town. Overnight: Huanglongxi Ancient Town
Day 8. Huanglongxi Ancient Town-Chengdu (49km). (BLD)
Ride back to Chengdu and visit the Lifestyle Center (Xi Cun Da Yuan). Overnight: Chengdu
Day 9. Chengdu City Ride (36km). (BLD)
Ride to explore Chengdu Panda Base, Taikoo Li, and Shuijingfang Museum. Overnight: Chengdu
Day 10. Depart Chengdu. (B)
The airport drop-off.
Details:
Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. Meals: D
The airport pick-up. Based on the time you arrive, we can plan some free city tour programs such as visiting People’s Park to experience the typical laid-back lifestyles of Chengdu or get your bike and have a short ride along the Funan River (Jingjiang River) to Wangjiang Park.
Overnight: Chengdu
Day 2. Chengdu-Sichuan Cuisine Museum-Dujiangyan (71km). Meals: BLD
In the morning, we will ride to Dujianyan via Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Chengdu is not only the hometown of the Giant Panda but also the City of Gastronomy designated by UNESCO. To experience a comprehensive Sichuan cuisine culture, we will visit the Sichuan Cuisine Museum, the first museum to display a regional cooking culture in the world. Also in Sichuan Cuisine Museum you will discover the secret of making the famed Doubanjiang (Pixian Chili Bean Paste), a spicy bean paste used in Sichuan cuisine. After lunch, we will head to Dujiangyan. In the evening, we can pay a visit to Nanqiao Bridge over the Minjiang River (the upstream of Nan River of Chengdu) and have a walk around the old town to join local people’s nightlife.
Overnight: Dujiangyan
Day 3. Dujiangyan-Shadow Puppetry Museum-Mt. Qingcheng (22km). Meals: BLD
In the morning, we will pay a visit to Dujiangyan Irrigation System. With over 2,200 years of history, the ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan is distinct as the only ancient irrigation project of its kind to be functional after so long. This project is credited with having irrigated the vast fertile land near Chengdu turning them into a breadbasket celebrated across all of China. The irrigation system became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2000. After lunch, we will visit the Shadow Puppetry Museum and have close contact with the intangible cultural heritage of Shadow Puppetry which is the earliest movie in China. Then, we will ride to Mt. Qingcheng.
Overnight: Mt. Qingcheng
Day 4. Mt. Qingcheng-Taiji Experience-Jiezi Ancient Town (16km). Meals: BLD
Today we will do a light hiking trip inside the Taoist Mountain of Qingcheng. Regarded widely as one of the birthplaces of Daoism, Mount Qingcheng is a relic of China’s spiritual past. The weathered stone pathways leading to the summit are dotted with a multitude of Daoist temples dating back to the religion’s founding roughly 2,000 years ago. With the ideal melding of natural scenery and traditional Chinese architecture, the atmosphere found at Qingcheng is reminiscent of the iconic landscape paintings that have made traditional Chinese art famous into the present day. Since 2000, this sacred place has been protected as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site. After lunch, we will learn Taiji from a Daoist master (Shifu) near Mount Qingcheng. This martial arts style is largely inspired by Daoism and borrows from Daoist ideology. In the late afternoon, we will ride to Jiezi Ancient Town.
Overnight: Jiezi Ancient Town
Day 5. Jiezi Ancient Town-Huashuiwan (55km). Meals: BLD
In the morning, we can choose to walk around Jiezi Ancient Town or just start our cycling trip directly to Huashuiwan. Jiezi Ancient Town has a history of over 1,000 years and boasts 32 temples and many historical sites. It is currently one of the best-preserved southwestern Chinese towns for us to experience the late Qing Dynasty period architectures on both sides of the street. When we arrive in Huashuiwan, we can enjoy the hot spring and have a good rest.
Overnight: Hushuiwan
Day 6. Huashuiwan-Anren Ancient Town (50km). Meals: BLD
In the morning. We will ride to Anren Ancient Town. Anren Ancient Town is a famed town with 27 mansions (more than Nanjing) built during the Republic of China. Also, traditional craft workshops, theaters, and snack shops are still doing business. It is not known to all, but it has always been a place of outstanding talents and treasures, attracting travelers who love the old-time with its profound historical deposits and elegant life a century ago.
Overnight: Anren Ancient Town
Day 7. Anren Ancient Town-Huanglongxi Ancient Town (49km). Meals: BLD
Today we will ride to Huanglongxi Ancient Town. With a history of over 1,700 years, Huanglongxi is a well-preserved town where you can enjoy its rustic charm with ancient cobbled streets, temples, wharves, and houses along its curving alleys. The town is about 50km from Chengdu city. The majority of the buildings in Huanglongxi date back to the Qing Dynasty. The numerous temples, traditional architectures, time-honored streets, and old trees make it a popular place for filmmakers to shoot exterior scenes of period movies in this town.
Overnight: Huanglongxi Ancient Town
Day 8. Huanglongxi Ancient Town-Chengdu (49km). Meals: BLD
Ride back to Chengdu and visit Lifestyle Center (Xi Cun Da Yuan), also called ‘west village basis yard’. It is designed by Liu Jiakun, a famous local architect. The Lifestyle Center is a huge urban architecture containing diverse public life as well as marketplace scenarios. It is a popular spot for people to take photos, relaxing, take a walk, play football, and so on.
Overnight: Chengdu
Day 9. Chengdu City Ride (36km). Meals: BLD
We will ride to explore Chengdu Panda Base in the early morning. As the world’s largest single panda base, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu Panda Base) has the largest number of captive pandas and is only about 15km from Chengdu city proper. Here you can see both giant pandas and red pandas in different age groups. The base has a big variety of gardening plants and well-maintained beautiful environments. It is also a great place for birds. After lunch, we will ride to Taikoo Li and discover the tranquil Daci Monastery located in the Chengdu's bustling downtown areas. Then we will ride to Shuijingfang Museum which is also designed by Liu Jiakun. Shuijingfang Museum was built at the site of the ancient distillery and shops of more than 600 hundred years ago, which represents the time-honored history of Chinese wine production. In the evening, we will have our hot pot dinner. After dinner if you are interested you can pay a visit to Anshun Bridge for a night view which is one of the landmarks of Chengdu.
Overnight: Chengdu
Day 10. Depart Chengdu. Meals: B
The airport drop-off.
Notes:
1. If you need help in arranging a flight to Chengdu from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, or the trip out of Chengdu, please feel free to contact us.
2. Riding a bike from the hot tourist city of 16 million people to its countryside and place of interest is a big challenge and adventure as we can meet various road conditions like road mix with trucks, muddy roads, and roads full of people and cars. Be sure you are well prepared for the cycling conditions with the Chinese style.
Dates & Prices
1. Dates
March 22 to March 31, 2024,2025
April 19 to April 28, 2024,2025
Email us to tailor-make a tour that can meet your taste, budget, and schedule best.
2. Prices
The AbsolutePanda team works hard to provide the highest-possible quality tour experiences at a fair price. However, after working in the travel industry for more than 20 years, our team knows that no two travelers are alike in terms of their travel styles, personal interests, choice of guides, and preferences in restaurants and hotels. For AbsolutePanda, our client’s satisfaction is a top priority. To meet the needs of different clients and ensure you enjoy a trip suited to your preferences, you are welcome to email us with specific requests ranging from trip themes, guides, the grade and brand of vehicles, accommodations, restaurants, etc. We will try our best.
To ensure our guest the best trip, we set our minimum departure number at five travelers and the maximum departure number at twelve travelers. That means the trip size is 5 to 12 participants.
The cost for a group of 5 to 12 people:
2970USD/PAX
Single supplement:
340USD/PAX
The cost includes:
1. Vehicles listed on the trip. Fuel, tolls, airport pick-up, and airport drop-off are included in the price. The size of the vehicle is based on the number of participants for this itinerary;
2. An English-speaking guide for the whole trip;
3. Riding leader for biking days listed in the itinerary;
4. Support vehicle for biking days;
5. Meals listed as BLD;
6. Bottled water and snacks;
7. Entrance charges listed in the itinerary;
8. China Domestic Travel Insurance;
9. Hotels listed in the itinerary;
10. Bike rent;
11. Helmet rent;
12. Shadow puppetry and Taiji experiences;
13. Hot pot dinner on Day 9.
The cost excludes:
1. Alcoholic drinks during the meal;
2. Extra charges due to change of itinerary from client-side or factors beyond the control of AbsolutePanda such as natural disaster and governmental policy change;
3. Discretionary tips to the guide and driver;
4. All personal expenses, such as laundry service or personal shopping;
5. Train ticket or airfare to and out of Chengdu;
6. Any items not listed in the itinerary as included;
7. Entrance fee, car rental, or meals during your free time trip;
8. Single supplement.
Notes:
This trip price is based on two clients sharing one twin-bed room in 3-star standard hotels in big cities and local best guesthouses in the countryside. If you prefer to use a private room or we cannot find a roommate for you, then a single supplement will be added to your trip price.
3. Experienced Cycling Guide
• Kevin: Graduated from Southwest University of Science and Technology in 2016 majoring in Engineering Management, Kevin pursued a different road compared with most of his classmates because of his affection in nature. His involvement in nature has started far before his graduation, he has become a famous outdoor enthusiast and nature lover among his classmates during his campus life. He has actively participated in lots of outdoor activities like cycling and mountaineering. He successfully organized biking from Sichuan to Tibet Autonomous Region and cycling around Hainan Island. He trekked the Poon Hill in Nepal and 20 plus mountains of different sizes in China. He participated in the emergency aid training class provided by the Red Cross Society of China and has got the First Aid Certificate.
Notes:
1. Please note that our guides with specialized knowledge are not always available, especially during our busy season from April to October. If you have an on-planning trip, please contact us as early as possible so that we will reserve the date of our expert guide for you.
2. To our AbsolutePanda team, our clients' overall satisfaction with their trip is the top priority. We can create a different option to make it easier for you to choose a tour that fits your style and budget. If you prefer to travel in a different style than the option we've provided here, please feel free to contact us.
3. For travelers who hope to tailor-make the programs with their specific travel preferences in mind (transportations, hotels, exclusive privileges, and famous local experts), tailor-making a tour is the best way to ensure your desires are met. Please contact us with your specific needs and we will prepare an itinerary based on your expectations. Once you are satisfied, we will work out the cost and send it to you. Please feel free to ask any questions to learn more.
When you put your trust in our team, we are certain to help you enjoy an unforgettable travel experience in China!
Accommodations
AbsolutePanda firmly believes travel is an art. To ensure every trip with us is a great travel art for our clients, the AbsolutePanda team does all we can to consider every possible detail. The choice of hotels is an essential part of making a great trip. After many years of running a travel business, we have built up our network of cooperative hotels at different levels. We understand people are different in the choice of hotels when they travel. If you want to use some specific hotels, please feel free to let us know, we are delighted to book it for you at a competitive price to make the hotel choice better meet your taste, budget and travel style. We can either reserve a hotel with competitive price for you or simply include the hotel into your trip cost if possible. You are welcome to contact us and tell us your requests, we will do our best to create the best travel itinerary for your private use.
If you need help with hotel booking in other big cities of China at different styles and luxury levels (International-brand Hotels, Local Brand Hotels, Economical Hotels), please feel free to email our team at info@absolutepanda.com.
FAQs
1. Is this biking trip suitable for children?
It will be a big challenge for children to ride long distances from 16km to 71km per day with some visits to places of interest. If your child has some biking experiences and is interested in this trip, we can try to design a more suitable trip according to your condition. For example, we can arrange a support vehicle for the child to sit for a rest during the biking days. The child can give up whenever he or she feels exhausted and want to return to the car in time.
2. If I have dietary restrictions, will that be a problem for your team to accommodate?
Our team is experienced at making sure all of our client’s needs are met. If you or anyone in your group has specific requirements for food, we are happy to accommodate your needs.
3. Do we need to bring our helmet?
We do have helmets for our clients, but if you prefer to use your helmet you can bring your helmet. People always have different requirements about the type of helmet when cycling, if you are OK with the helmet we have (in average quality) we are more than happy to provide a clean helmet we used for our biking trips in the past.
4. What kind of road condition do we have during the biking days?
The road condition varies. But almost all the roads are paved. In the city proper or when we ride along the main road, there is a separate lane for bicycle-riders. In the countryside, we have to take the side of the road which big vehicles like buses, trucks, and cars take the main part of the road. We have run similar trips around Chengdu, once we strictly follow the rules and guidelines of your cycling leader, it is safe. If possible, it is good for you to purchase extra insurance from your country just in case.
Email us if you have any questions. Read our FAQ
Testimonials
The best travel company I have ever worked with.
Where to begin? I am an international tour leader. This team is our partner company, and for the last 5 years, they have proved time and time again to be by far the best, most meticulous, detail-oriented, experienced, and honest company I have ever encountered. These guys get it- travel is an art. They are focused on the experience, not the profit, and this is very rare in China. The founder, Philip, is one of the top birders and nature experts in Sichuan and is well respected throughout the province and beyond for all of his efforts to support local culture and conservation of wildlife. He is from a remote Tibetan region and understands how to operate in the wild, unexplored regions of China- the real China. He is an excellent teacher and judge of character and has built an amazing team of loyal guides who cannot be topped. If you travel with these guys, you have made a wise decision.
--Brad
Date of experience: May 2017
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Videos & Photos
Cycling on the country road mix with trucks, motorbikes, and cars.
Pixian Chili Bean Paste of Sichuan Cuisine Museum.
Nanqiao Bridge in Dujiangyan.
Bird's eye view of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
Anlan Bridge of Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
Taoist monastery in Mt. Qingcheng.
Jiezi Ancient Town
Anren Ancient Town
Huanglongxi Ancient Town
Have a night view of Anshun Bridge and Chengdu City.
Lifestyle Center (Xi Cun Da Yuan) of Chengdu.
Shuijingfang Museum
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